site map

teachers' home page

water cycle

water polarity

water hardness

water pollution

science investigation

glossary

about the author


 

activity: Unusual Water

What you will need:

  • polythene strip
  • dry soft cloth, like a duster

What you need to do:

  1. Rub the polythene strip with the dry, soft cloth. This knocks electrons off the cloth and onto the polythene strip. The polythene strip now has static electricity.
  2. Turn on a tap, so a steady stream of water is coming out.
  3. Put the polythene strip next to the stream of water. Don't let the water touch the strip.

What do you observe?

  1. What happens to the water when the polythene strip is close to it?
  2. Rubbing the polythene strip with the cloth knocked negative electrons off the cloth. What charge did this give the cloth?
  3. The negative electrons went onto the polythene strip. What charge did this give the polythene strip?

When you've used magnets, you should have found that two similar poles will repel (push away) each other. So, a north and a north pole put together will push each other apart. Two different poles, a north and a south pole, will attract each other. This works for charges as well. Two objects with the same charge will repel, and two objects with different charges will attract each other. So, a + and + will repel, but a + and - will attract.

Question

  1. What charge must water have? Explain your answer.

Click here to check your answers.